My absolute favorite bars...
Suzanne’s Peanut Butter Brownies
Makes 2 dozen bars
1 cup sifted flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 can (16 oz) Hershey’s chocolate syrup
3/4 cups smooth peanut butter
1 tbl butter, melted
2 squares (2 oz.) semisweet chocolate (or equivalent in chocolate chips)
1-1/2 tbl. butter
Preheat oven to 350 deg. Grease a 13x9x2” baking pan. Soft flour and salt onto wax paper. Beat the stick of butter, sugar, and eggs in large bowl until light and fluffy (about 5 min.) then stir in vanilla. Stir in flour and salt just until well blended. Stir in chocolate syrup until no streaks of white remain. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 25 min. or until center springs back when lightly touched - don’t overbake. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Mix peanut butter with the 1 tbl. melted butter. spread evenly over top of brownies. Melt chocolate with remaining 1-1/2 tbl. butter in a small bowl, in microwave (about 1 min.). Drizzle this across the peanut butter layer in thin lines about 1” apart. Draw a wood toothpick or thin spatula across the lines, alternating directions for decoration. Let chocolate set before cutting into 24 bars.
(Better Than Starbuck's) Cranberry Bliss Bars
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups uncooked quick cooking oats
3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar; divided
1 cup softened butter or margarine
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 (16 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce
Preheat oven 350°F degrees. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 baking pan. In large bowl combine flour, oats 3/4 cup sugar and butter, mix until crumbly. Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture for topping - press the rest into the greased pan and bake 15 minutes. Cool completely.
In large bowl beat cream cheese until fluffy, gradually mix in condensed milk, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth. Pour evenly over crust. In small bowl combine remaining sugar, cornstarch and cranberry sauce. Spoon over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle reserve crumb mixture over top. Bake 40 minutes. Cool at room temperature, refrigerate before cutting. Store in refrigerator.
Almond Macaroon Brownies
Source: www.donogh.com/cooking
Brownies:
3/4 cup butter
4 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped almonds
Topping:
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped almonds
2 squares semi-sweet chocolate
Directions for Brownies: Melt butter and chocolate together. Stir in sugar, eggs and vanilla, mix well.
Add flour and almonds and stir to combine. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan.
Directions for Topping: Combine cream cheese, sugar, eggs and flour together in a large bowl. Beat until smooth. Stir in coconut and almonds. Spread topping mixture over the brownie layer. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool. Melt chocolate and drizzle over top of the cake. Cut into squares.
Raspberry Shortbread Bars
Food & Wine Magazine, May 2005
Makes 2 dozen 2” bars
Instead of using a rolling pin to make the flaky pastry, the dough is chilled, grated into a baking dish, then topped lightly with raspberry preserves and more grated dough before baking it.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup seedless raspberry preserves or jam (8 ounces)
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)
1. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. In another medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar at low speed until combined. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until a soft dough forms. Halve the dough and form into logs. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 350° and butter an 8 1/2-by-11-inch glass baking dish. Working over the baking dish, coarsely shred 1 log of dough on the large holes of a box grater, evenly distributing the dough in the baking dish. Do not pat or press the dough. Using a spoon, dollop the preserves over the dough and gently spread it in an even layer. Grate the second log of dough on top. Using a rubber spatula, tuck in any shreds of dough sticking to the side of the baking dish to prevent them from burning.
3. Bake the shortbread on the bottom rack of the oven for about 35 minutes, covering it with foil halfway through baking. The shortbread is done when the pastry is golden all over. Let cool completely, then cut into 24 bars. Dust the tops with confectioners' sugar and serve.
Banana Split Bars
Makes 36 bars
2-3 extra ripe bananas, med. size, mashed , to make 1 cup
2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, undrained
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup maraschino cherries, drained and halved
Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. Add oil, pineapple, eggs, vanilla and bananas; mix well. Fold in cherries. Spread into greased and floured 9x13” pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until pick comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes then spread with Creamy Vanilla Frosting (below).
Creamy Vanilla Frosting:
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3-4 tbl. milk
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
In saucepan, heat butter and milk until butter melts. Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat with mixer until smooth. It will thicken as it cools.
Linzer Coconut Squares
Makes 2 to 3 dozen
1-1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine, cut in chunks
3 tbl. cold water (approximately)
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2-2/3 cups flaked coconut
1/3 cup raspberry preserves
Combine flour and salt. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles large peas. Sprinkle with water, a small amount at a time, mixing lightly until all particles are lightly moistened and cling together when pressed into a ball.
Press mixture into an ungreased 9” square pan. Bake at 425 deg. for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Meanwhile, beat eggs well. Gradually beat in sugar and continue beating until thick and light in color. Fold in coconut.
Spread preserves over baked pastry in pan to within 1/4” of edge. Carefully spread coconut mixture over preserves. Bake at 375 deg. for 25 min. more or until golden brown. Cool and cut into squares or bars.